Public consultation of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) regarding the draft scientific opinion on the use of animal-based measures to assess the welfare of dairy cows

Privacy statement(41.4 KB)

In line with EFSA’s policy on openness and transparency and in order to receive comments from the scientific community and stakeholders, the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) has launched a public consultation on the draft scientific opinion on the use of animal-based measures to assess the welfare of dairy cows.

This document describes how animal-based measures could be used to ensure the fulfilment of the recommendations of the EFSA scientific opinions on the welfare of dairy cows, and how the assessment protocol for dairy cows suggested by the Welfare Quality® project covers the main hazards identified in EFSA scientific opinions and vice-versa for an overall classification of their welfare situation. The document also identifies which relevant animal welfare issues cannot be assessed using animal-based measures for dairy. The document also addresses the main factors in the various husbandry systems which have been scientifically proven to have negative effects on the welfare of dairy cows and to what extent these negative effects can be or not prevented through management.

Interested parties are invited to submit written comments by 11th November 2011, exclusively using the electronic form available on line. Please note that comments submitted by e-mail or by post cannot be taken into account and that a submission will not be considered if it is:

• submitted after the deadline set out in the call
• presented in any form other than what is provided for in the instructions and template
• not related to the contents of the document
• contains complaints against institutions, personal accusations, irrelevant or offensive statements or material
• is related to policy or risk management aspects, which is out of the scope of EFSA's activity.

EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties which are submitted according to these guidelines. The comments will be further considered by the AHAW Panel for possible inclusion in its scientific opinion.

A report from the consultation will be published, including all submitted comments. Comments submitted by individuals in a personal capacity will be presented anonymously. Comments submitted formally on behalf of an organisation will appear with the name of the organisation.